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Thank you to everyone who came along to the AGM tonight. It was great to have so much enthusiasm for next year – I can only imagine the group going from strength to strength. Congratulations to you all!

Well done to you all, we will arrange a mass committee hand over for sometime after everyone’s exams.

Also a huge congratulations to Daniel Brown and Sophie Kortenbruck for receiving the statuses of Amnesty King and Queen 2010/2011! This was due to their continuous dedication, effort and general loveliness this year – very well deserved.

I would also like to take this opportunity to say a massive thank you to everyone in the group. The year has been hugely successful and we are currently in the lead for the raise-off with a whopping total of Â£2837.50! Everyone has worked continuously hard and it’s most certainly paid off!

Please note, there will be no more meetings this term. I will send out details regarding meetings for after Easter but as it will be exam period this will perhaps only be one or two to organise our final events of the year.

* Anyone wishing to stand will be asked to say a few words and then leave the room for voting to take place.
* The evening shall be finished up with some closing words and finally we have a wee surprise!

Immediately after the meeting we shall be having our end of term social. Common Rooms on Byres road

Even if you can’t make the AGM do come and join us at the social and anyone running off to STAR, we’ll still be there after 7 so come on down!

Firstly, for those of you who missed last weeks meeting, we were joined by Martha Wardrop from the Glasgow Green party. We were able to discuss some of the Scotland specific human rights issues and Claudia has written out a brief overview of her views. See below if you’re interested.

Ms. Wardrop from the Green Party started off the meeting by giving us some background on her educational, volunteering and political life. She is a member of Amnesty International, is involved in Womenâ€™s Aid and actively campaigns against nuclear weapons, and particularly against the replacement of Trident.

Among the topics discussed were:

Human trafficking – she mentioned the existence of some organisations in Scotland that deal with victims of trafficking.

Gypsy travellers – Her views on the traveller community were towards the promotion of non-discrimination. According to Ms. Wardrop, the latter can be improved through the media, education, more funding (to, among others, allow for more available sites). She also views as important to give the gypsy travellers priority in terms of available land, instead of selling it to property developers.

Ms. Wardrop is strongly in disagreement with the use of tasers by the Scottish Police force. The possibility of distributing tasers instead of giving police officers adequate training and formation can seriously jeopardise the quality of the service of the police force and banalise violence.

On the issue of human rights, Ms. Wardrop demonstrated her awareness of international human rights violations and explained how the UK should be prepared to tackle these issues, both internationally and domestically as well.

Friday’s sleepout was a huge success! Congratulations to all of those who saw it through to Saturday morning and helped raise awareness for the destitution of asylum seekers. Many thanks go out also to those who lent out sleeping bags, played uplifting music, dished out food and brought us some warming drinks! Huge thanks to Daniel Brown, Chrissy Barnacle and Colette O’Connor for all their organising efforts, it most certainly paid off!

Mayâ€™s Holyrood elections give the people of Scotland our third chance to discuss and debate the values of the Scottish Government. GU Amnesty International are taking this opportunity to raise awareness of the key Human Rights concerns facing Scotland today by holding a Q&A session with two of our candidates. Sandra White MSP and Lisa Strachan, Liberal Democrat candidate for Rutherglen, have both kindly offered to answer your questions on campus.

The issues we will be focusing on will include:

1. The Scottish Government’s obligations under the European Convention on Trafficking
2. The Scottish Parliamentâ€™s Equal Opportunities Committee
3. The role of Human Rights in Scotlandâ€™s international relations
4. Action to combat discrimination again Scottish Gypsy Travellers
5. Women fleeing violence with no recourse to public funds
6. Use of tasers by Scottish police forces

This will be a fairly informal event (biscuits and beverages provided!) so we hope you’ll take the opportunity to come along and get involved.

Tuesday 1st March meeting: We shall be delving further into the 6 issues outlined above so as to all be prepared next week with some good, thought provoking questions for our candidates.

Amnesty-STAR-Red Cross Annual Ceilidh

Every year, Glasgow University’s STAR, Amnesty International and Red Cross groups’ team up to host a ceilidh. The idea – to raise funds and awareness in a joint effort for the human rights abuses against refugees and asylum seekers everywhere. Come and DANCE FOR DIGNITY. Tickets are a bargain price of Â£5 for all you students with traditional music from the awesome, ‘Exploding Folk’ group. This is an event not to be missed! All proceeds are going to the Red Cross Refugee Unit so come along for a night of fun and for a worthy cause!

Posters shall be distributed at this weeks meeting so spread the word! I will also be asking for some willing volunteers to go raffle prize collecting later in the week.

The AGM

The time has come where we need to begin handing over to a new committee for 2011/12. Positions available are,

Anyone wishing to run for a position may nominate themselves or be nominated by another member. All candidates running for a position will then be given a minute to say a few words upon which will be asked to leave the room whilst voting occurs.

Voting will run from the top down. For example, if you wish to run for president but do not get elected you will then have the chance to run for vice president etc.

It would be great you all come along and vote- and indeed stand for a position. The society cannot run without a strong committee and the exciting new ideas they’ll no doubt bring.

If anyone is interested in hearing a little more about what each position entails, get in touch and myself and the rest of the committee will be happy to answer any questions!

We are able to send 4 delegates and thus far have Sophie, Jessie and Martin confirmed. This means there’s one place up for grabs! If anyone is interested get in touch as time is running out to book up!

Direct your appeal to Home Secretary Theresa May: You are asking her to exercise her discretionary powers to stop the forced removal of Abeer Awooda. You can also direct your appeal to Nick Clegg

You can see two Model Letters below . You can copy, amend or write your own version – if you do please remember to include the following: Abeer Awooda, Home Office Reference: A1435223, is currently in detention @ Yarl’s Wood IRC and due to be forcibly removed from the UK Today Monday 14th February @ 15:00 hrs.

Abeer Awooda, Home Office Reference: A1435223, is currently in detention @ Yarl’s Wood IRC and due to be forcibly removed from the UK Today Monday 14th February @ 15:00 hrs.

Ms Awooda is a 26 year old journalist writing for a Sudanese newspaper called Al Ayaam, who has been heavily involved in the student activist movement against the regime in Sudan. She has also been seen by the NISS wearing trousers in Sudan , which is illegal under Sudanese law. Between 2008 and 2010 she has been imprisoned and tortured in Khartoum numerous times as a result of her activism.

Ms Awooda arrived in the UK six months ago, her asylum claim was rejected, she appealed the decision and has been waiting for a decision on her appeal.

This imminent deportation is of great concern as Ms Awooda is an outspoken opponent of the Sudanese government and a victim of torture at the hands of the Sudanese regime and will almost certainly be imprisoned, tortured and possibly killed if returned to Khartoum.

Several hundred people have been killed in Sudan since the start of the year. The Khartoum regime is on high alert right now because of events in Egypt and Tunisia. It has already opened fire on protesters and arrested hundreds(many were journalists) in its attempts to stem dissent in recent weeks.

Abeer Awooda is a member of the Berti ethnic group, which is recognised to be a tribe from Darfur that has been targeted by the Sudanese government and therefore will be at great risk if sent back to Sudan.

Sudan a failed state, 3rd worst country in the world A state having little or no governance, endemic corruption, profiteering by ruling elites, very poor Human Rights, the government cannot/will not protect the population from others or itself, massive internal conflict, forced internal/external displacement, institutionalised political exclusion of significant numbers of the population, progressive deterioration of welfare infrastructure (hospitals, clinics, doctors, nurses) not adequate to meet health, needs, progressive economic decline of the country as a whole as measured by per capita income, debt, severe child mortality rates, poverty levels.

Sudan’s president, Omar Hassan al-Bashir, is the only sitting head of state wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity

Sudan ranked as one of the worlds most corrupt states by Transparency international.

Sudan, Africa’s biggest country and a former UK Colony, has faced constant conflict since independence from Britain in 1956.

I urge you to show compassion and humanitarian understanding to Abeer Awooda. Please release her from detention and grant her indefinite leave to remain in the UK.

Abeer Awooda, Home Office Reference: A1435223, is currently in detention @ Yarl’s Wood IRC and due to be forcibly removed from the UK Today Monday 14th February @ 15:00 hrs.

Ms Awooda is a 26 year old journalist writing for a Sudanese newspaper called Al Ayaam, who has been heavily involved in the student activist movement against the regime in Sudan. She has also been seen by the NISS wearing trousers in Sudan , which is illegal under Sudanese law. Between 2008 and 2010 she has been imprisoned and tortured in Khartoum numerous times as a result of her activism.

Ms Awooda arrived in the UK six months ago, her asylum claim was rejected, she appealed the decision and has been waiting for a decision on her appeal.

This imminent deportation is of great concern as Ms Awooda is an outspoken opponent of the Sudanese government and a victim of torture at the hands of the Sudanese regime and will almost certainly be imprisoned, tortured and possibly killed if returned to Khartoum.

Several hundred people have been killed in Sudan since the start of the year. The Khartoum regime is on high alert right now because of events in Egypt and Tunisia. It has already opened fire on protesters and arrested hundreds(many were journalists) in its attempts to stem dissent in recent weeks.

Abeer Awooda is a member of the Berti ethnic group, which is recognised to be a tribe from Darfur that has been targeted by the Sudanese government and therefore will be at great risk if sent back to Sudan.

Sudan a failed state, 3rd worst country in the world – A state having little or no governance, endemic corruption, profiteering by ruling elites, very poor Human Rights, the government cannot/will not protect the population from others or itself, massive internal conflict, forced internal/external displacement, institutionalised political exclusion of significant numbers of the population,
progressive deterioration of welfare infrastructure (hospitals, clinics, doctors, nurses) not adequate to meet health, needs, progressive economic decline of the country as a whole as measured by per capita income, debt, severe child mortality rates, poverty levels.

Sudan’s president, Omar Hassan al-Bashir, is the only sitting head of state wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Sudan ranked as one of the worlds most corrupt states by Transparency international.

Sudan, Africa’s biggest country and a former UK Colony, has faced constant conflict since independence from Britain in 1956.

I urge you to show compassion and humanitarian understanding to Abeer Awooda.

I am asking you to intervene on his behalf and raise the issue with the Home Secretary. Sudan is one of the most dangerous countries in the world, no one should be forcibly sent there. Please ask the Home Secretary to release Abeer Awooda from immigration detention and reconsider her case with a view to granting her refugee protection.

After our look at Guantanamo Bay at the beginning of this term Andy Worthington is making a one stop appearance to Scotland and has chosen Edinburgh as his pit call.

He shall be showing the film which he co-directed with Polly Nash, “Outside the Law: Stories from Guantanamo” followed by a Q&A session.

I myself, shall be going along so if anyone fancies it we can arrange to head on the train together.

The film focuses on the stories of three prisoners â€” Shaker Aamer, the last British resident in GuantÃ¡namo, who is still held, and Binyam Mohamed and Omar Deghayes (both released) â€” and features interviews with former prisoners Moazzam Begg and Omar Deghayes, lawyers Clive Stafford Smith and Tom Wilner, and journalist Andy Worthington, plus appearances from GuantÃ¡namoâ€™s former Muslim chaplain James Yee, Imam Shakeel Begg, and the British human rights lawyer Gareth Peirce.

* 11am – 2pm – I forgot to send round a rota on Tuesday so if you could get back to me with your availability for half an hour slots that will be much appreciated!
* Heart shaped cakes and love related crafts – Any artistic folk out there who fancy their hand at some valentines gifts 🙂
* I’ll send round the rota by Sunday at the latest

* Meeting: 5pm, committee room 1, QMU. Urgent Actions – Egypt and Pakistan
* Meal: Di Maggio’s West End, 7pm. All welcome (table booked with enough over spill for a few last minuters!) This is to celebrate our successful Secret Policeman’s Ball and first term. We have raised a fantastic amount of money so far and deserve some socialising! Hope you can join us.

Amnesty, STAR and Red Cross’s annual ceilidh shall be taking place on Sunday 6th March in Qudos in the QMU. We are currently battling to find a ceilidh band who will offer a reduced rate for charity. If anyone knows of a ceilidh band that might do this for us please please ask and let us know! That would be amazing!

We have some hot of the press information about a few upcoming national Amnesty events.

Firstly, Action For Change weekend

The Action for Change weekend provides essential activism training for Student Groups and is a unique opportunity to gain a wide range of campaigning skills and learn more about the work and structure of Amnesty International. I personally highly recommend this, have bee myself and it’s such an awesome inspiring weekend. Great for anyone considering running for the committee next year or just wanting to get more involved!

Key Details:

When: Friday 11th March – Saturday 12th March
Where: The Human Rights Action Centre, London
Accommodation: Crash pad accommodation for the Friday night
Cost: Free entry to the event and free food throughout the weekend so travel costs will be the only expenditure.

Travel will need to be arranged down to London. And we can only send a maximum of 4 delegates and the event is extremely popular so we need to book our places ASAP. Anyone who is interested get back to me and once we’ve a group of people who want to go, travel arrangements can be made.

This main conference is open to all Amnesty UK members (not just students) and is a chance to celebrate the achievements of the year and look forward to the work ahead. The programme includes speakers, workshops, and opportunities to influence Amnesty’s future work

With all that we have coming up over the next few months we’ve decided to try and concentrate on one thing at a time. The beginning of the meeting shall see us discussing the upcoming events and assigning a few roles to anyone who wants involved. The events include: The Sleep Out, The Scottish Parliament Elections and the upcoming Annual Ceilidh.

We shall then be watching some footage on the Amnesty view point of the Gaza, two years on, situation. We shall then have a discussion and hopefully come to a conclusion on how we want to take this forward.

If you’d like to take a look at the campaign before tomorrow, follow this link:

I think you will all agree that Saturday went above and beyond what we hoped for! I cannot express enough how much all the help in the run up (flyering, cakes, ticket selling, raffle prize collecting), and help during the evening (setting up/clearing away, manning the door, raffle tickets selling) was appreciated. A ginormous THANK YOU to you all – we definitely pulled together as a team and we should all be very proud of ourselves.

So to get down to it, and drum roll please – the amount of money raised (as it stands just now, we think there’s a little more to come) is the absolutely fantastic amount of Â£1,414!!!!! What an amazing amount of money that Amnesty International is going to benefit from!

So, I’m exhausted! And I’m sure you all are too – and that’s why we’ve decided to take a wee break from being super human beings and from organising/planning anything new, by having a much more informal, relaxed meeting tomorrow.

Tuesday 25th January, Meeting, 5pm, QMU: We shall be showing a documentary on the 2003 Liberian civil war. “Pray the Devil Back to Hell”. Biscuits and other tasty snacks shall be provided and this shall be followed by a celebratory drink in Jims Bar.

However, this well deserved break can only last for one week as we have lots coming up:

What’s Coming up in GU Amnesty:

Sleep out week, 21st-27th February: in collaboration with STAR. We shall be holding a sleep out one evening during this week and shall be looking to out together a team of people who are interested in helping to organise this.

Gaza 2 years on: After last weeks introduction we shall be arranging a carefully thought out event/action around this issue. Again, looking for a team of people.

Scottish Parliament Elections: I have contacted the Scottish office and they inform me that full candidate listings will be released on Wednesday (26th Jan) and they shall be sending all relevant information immediately to me. This means that next weeks meeting shall see us making a start on this very exciting opportunity.

Phewph!

Hope to see some of you tomorrow and just want to say once again – thank you thank you thank you for all the incredible hard work!

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